With the omelettes ready, we sat down to eat: Alec sprawled on the couch again, as if he owned it, and me on the sofa, munching quietly as I watched him from the corner of my eye. Bear and Luca were eating in the kitchen because let's face it: there was no way I wouldn't feed the cat - mind you, it definitely didn't look like Alec kept it starving - and also, that I wouldn't treat Bear to an omelette if our furry guest was having it for dinner.
To be honest, I was somewhat surprised that the cat was feeding on something that had pepper in it, and a little relieved that I hadn't had basil at hand to add even more spices before I was told Alec's pet would be having the same as us.
The detective show went on as we quietly ate, Alec's attention on it, either because he liked it or because he thought - and rightfully so - that the silence would unnerve me. I pondered on things to say, on some small talk to engage in, but nothing was coming to mind, so I just kept devouring the omelette, until there was none left. Alec wasn't done yet, so I placed my empty plate on the coffee table and stayed put.
Pretended that the TV show was the most interesting thing in the world.
That Alec very leisurely eating an omelette while acting as if I wasn't there meant nothing to me.
A playful growl caught my attention. Luca was sitting on a towel that had previously been on one of my counters, but was currently lying on the floor. Bear was biting the fabric, pulling it towards him, his tail wagging like crazy. Luca calmly watched him for a few seconds, then very deliberately stood up, freeing the towel, causing poor little Bear to land on his butt. Alec had apparently noticed them too, because now he was laughing and that was all it took for him to have my full attention again.
"Your cat is an asshole," I repeated, crossing my arms over my chest.
Alec snorted.
"I think we already established that." He took one fine bite of the omelette, and added: "And that your dog is an idiot."
I sat closer to the sofa's edge, slightly leaning towards him.
"My Bear is not an idiot."
"That, or a masochist," he said, taking another small bite.
When I raised an eyebrow at him, he simply used the fork to point to where the animals were and I turned my head just in time to see Luca getting up from the towel again, and Bear falling on his butt once more. When I turned back to Alec, he was smirking.
The guy put the empty plate on the table, leaned back so he was lying on the couch, and with those pale eyes glued to mine, he asked in a low voice:
"What's for dessert?"
I took in a sharp breath, my pulse quickening.
We were not going there.
I shot up, picking our plates and heading for the kitchen to wash them off, passing by Bear and Luca still doing their towel thing. I was hoping to earn myself some time away from Alec, but the devil followed, brushing a hand against my thigh - a touch so brief and feathery light that I might've imagined it - and then... Passing by me and rummaging through my nearly empty freezer.
After maybe five seconds, he straightened up, a frown on his inhumanly beautiful face.
"Where's your ice cream?" He asked, voice demanding.
"I don't have ice cream."
His eyebrows rose, eyes rounding a little.
"How can you not have ice cream?"
The bratty tone was doing wonders to dispel my slight arousal, but it also began filling me with annoyance.
"I just don't." I said sharply.
He gazed at me again with that look in his eyes, as if he was doubting my capacity to think properly, then closed the fridge with a loud sigh.
"So, what's for dessert?" He asked again, this time without the suggestive inflection, and I realized two things: one - he was serious about dessert, and two - I didn't have any.
I cleared my throat, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. He raised an eyebrow, this time not in question, but in superiority.
"You don't have any, do you?" His voice was low and even, and a little bit cold.
"No, I..." I racked my brains, trying to remember if I'd stashed a pack of cookies anywhere. But no, I came up empty. I'd been meaning to go to Mayflour, but simply hadn't had the time.
Damn it! Why didn't I get anything from the store tonight?
As soon as the thought came, I chastise the severity of my internal voice.
Why was I so upset with myself?
It's not like I knew I'd be having people - well, a person and his cat - break into my apartment and stay for dinner.
The ridiculousness of the situation hit me hard and I puffed and blushed before stomping back to the sofa and slumping down on it. Then I thought that I wouldn't give Alec the satisfaction of seeing me like that, so I sat a little straighter.
Like before, he'd followed me, and was once again taking up all of my couch, save for the armrest his pet was perched on. A happy Bear laid down next to my feet, and I too began to question his intellect as they'd been 'playing' with the towel until now and while my dog might've thought it fun, I was sure the cat used the interaction to show he was in charge.
Like owner, like pet.
I huffed again, the fact that Alec used me to amuse himself the way his cat used my Bear adding to my irritation and threatening to turn it into anger.
"Want to exchange phone numbers?"
I did a double take, not sure I'd hear him right. Alec was looking impassively at me, waiting for my response.
"You know where I live, but you don't know my phone number?" I finally managed to ask.
"Is this your way of asking me how I know where you live?" A hint of amusement lit his eyes.
"How do you know that?" I asked, not bothering to hide my exasperation. "Were you stalking me?"
He snorted again.
"I have my ways, other than stalking. Mind you, I would've done a better job than your pathetic attempt at the cemetery." He gave me one of those infuriating smirks again. "And I was just being nice, offering to exchange numbers. I already have yours."
"Nice?" It was my turn to snort. "Since when do you do nice?"
"I've been nice all evening," he declared, assuredly, and I gaped at him like a fish.
"You've... Y-you... You've been nice? Nice?" When he didn't respond, just kept staring at me firm in his beliefs, I unconsciously raised my voice: "What kind of fucked up definition of 'nice' do you have, Alec?"
There was no reaction or explanation from him, and I rose up in anger.
"You break into my apartment, your cat abuses my dog, you demand dessert, all the while you both hurl insults at us..."
"When did my Luca say something insulting about your Bear?" He sounded awfully amused and as if he was about to laugh again. "He was probably thinking something, but he hasn't said anything. As a matter of fact, he hasn't meowed since we came here."
The notion that yes, his cat had been oddly quiet throughout the evening passed through my mind, but didn't stop long enough to make an impact and distract me. Instead, the notion that Alec was trying and succeeding to get a rise out of me, nestled in my head and I almost shouted for him to get out again.
But no, I wasn't going to lose.
I'd make him stay longer, and then have him leave on my terms without me screaming at him.
Taking a few deep breaths, I sat back down, reminding myself that I was a grown man and I could handle a twenty year old brat. Even if I was just a few years older than him...
But age didn't matter.
I prided myself on keeping a cool head, and a cool head I would keep.
"Sure," I said, taking my phone out of my pocket. "Let's exchange numbers."
What for, Alec himself and God only knew, if the latter was skillful enough to get into this boy's head.
"You mean you really don't have mine?" He asked genuinely curious.
"Why would I have your number?"
"Because it's in my file and we both know you've been through it. Several times, I'd bet."
I cleared my throat.
We were heading for dangerous territory.
Yes, I'd been through his file, yes, quite a few times, including when I was working on that serial killer case, and had tried and failed to get information from him, instead ending up in his bed. My face heating up, I knew I couldn't let the conversation veer off in that direction.
"I've seen it, but there was no reason for me to add it to my contacts."
"And there's now?" He leaned back, lying on the couch again and his cat jumped on his lap. He began to pet it like a villain from old movies, questioning the hero who'd come to stop their evil plan, but instead had ended up in the villain's trap.
"Are you going to give me your number or not?" I asked, purposefully keeping my voice even. I had to get this over with and get the guy and his creature out of my apartment before I lost my cool again.
"I'm just wondering why you'd want it and why you'd not only let us stay, but make us dinner."
He had me there. I couldn't tell him 'I'm trying to build up an immunity against you' without admitting he got deep, deep under my skin. I had to come up with something else and fast. I'd already been silent for way too long, so he probably wouldn't buy it, but he could at least pretend to if I gave him something to work with.
"Maybe I'm trying to bring out some humanity in you," I said and he gave me an eyeroll that indicated that he didn't believe me, and that it would've been a futile effort anyway.
"Mhmm, sure." He began reciting digits and it took me a moment to realize it was his phone number. He had to repeat it for me and once I'd added him to my contacts, he got up and headed for the door.
"Luca and I are going for ice cream," he announced, not gazing back to see if I followed him and the cat that walked alongside him. "You are a terrible host, not providing dessert." His hand was on the door handle. "Oh, and" he turned only his head to look at me, "you should really add basil to the omelette."
The two of them got out, me still twisted in my chair, looking at the now closed door, my jaw hanging slack at how sudden their departure had been.
A tap on my foot made me look down at Bear, who was gazing up at me expectantly, then looked at the door and then back at me.
"We are not following them," I said.
His eyes went to the door again and he let out a low whimper.
"We are not." I said, more insistent this time then picked him up and lifted him at eye level. "We are not, and that cat is not your friend. He doesn't want to be your friend."
Again with the low whimper, so I snuggled him to my chest.
"You don't need a friend like that anyway. You are better off without him. That superior, haughty behavior. That smug expression. And that damned smirk..."
I shut my mouth, realizing I was no longer talking about Luca. With an irritated huff, I placed Bear back on the floor and got up.
"But we are going out. I'll be damned if I let them prevent us from our nightly walk."
I put a leash on an excited Bear, and headed out, determined not to think about Alec anymore. And yet, as we walked, I found myself looking for a shop that was still opened and sold ice cream.
So: Bear, Luca and the towel; a game or Luca showing Bear who is boss?
And what did you think of the rest of the chapter?
Do you think Alec would call Adrian, and if so: what for?
Or maybe Adrian would call Alec?
Maybe Adrian would even stock up on ice cream, in case the hybrid showed up again?
How do YOU like your omelette, if you like it at all?
If you enjoyed the chapter, please give it a VOTE!
I hope you have a great time wattpadding!